I Said Maybe, Baby, Please
by jowritesfiction
Summary: Regina Mills is acting out of character, so her son seeks out help from a very hesitant and slightly awkward Emma Swan. A revamped SQ season 1 baby-centric fic that is mostly fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** I Said Maybe, Baby, Please [1/5]  
**Author: **jowritesfiction  
**Rating:** G (for this chapter)  
**Fandom:** Once Upon a Time  
**Characters:** Regina Mills, Emma Swan, Henry Mills (eventual Swan Queen)  
**Summary:** _Regina Mills is acting out of character, so her son seeks out help from a very hesitant and slightly awkward Emma Swan.  
_**Notes:** This is an old piece of fic that I have revamped and (finally!) finished. It takes place way back in season 1, just after 1x07, and goes completely AU from there. Season 1 Swan Queen =D

* * *

Wrapping the robe tighter around her body, Regina quickly tied the belt, before running her fingers through her messy hair. It was two days after Graham's funeral, and it was obviously taking a toll on her, as she grabbed the small piles of discarded dirty clothes from her floor. She heaved the piles into her hamper, chancing a glance at her alarm clock to see that it was almost time to wake up Henry for his first day of school for the week.

With her mind still somewhere else, she lifted the hamper, before taking it down the hall to the bathroom. She picked up her son's dirty clothes, tossing them into ever-growing pile of laundry, before she paused. Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow, she sat on the edge of the bathtub, her free hand clutching the sink to hold her steady. She inhaled slowly then, ready to be over the obvious bug she picked up over the weekend.

"You don't look so great." A voice called from the door, startling her from her thoughts.

"I'm fine." She said dismissively, pushing herself to stand back up.

"Mom, I think you're sick." Henry pointed out, taking in her less than stellar appearance.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine." She almost snapped, careful not to lash out at him for his concern. She offered him a forced smile that couldn't quite make it up to her eyes before gesturing to his pyjamas. "You need to get ready for school. I don't have time to walk you today, so I'll see if Mrs. Nolan can take you. She was going to stop by for a coffee anyway…"

"Okay." He replied carefully, a hard to read expression on his young face. She placed her hand on his cheek for a moment, searching to see if he had caught the same flu or whatever she had. It was with a calm exhale that she brought her hand back down to her side, noting that his temperature seemed to be normal.

"And Miss Swan will pick you up from school. I'll give her a call. You can meet her for hot chocolates or something, okay?" She added, this time getting a bright smile back from him.

"Really?"

"Yes. I have an appointment later tonight, so I won't be free until just before supper."

"Thanks mom!" He exclaimed before he wrapped his hands tightly around her torso.

* * *

Henry sat at their booth at Granny's, using his spoon to stir the remnants of his hot chocolate, pursing his lips in a way that Emma couldn't help but admit made him look exactly like his mother. She watched him, wondering just how much Graham's death had affected the kid. Offering him a small pat on his shoulder, she gave him the most reassuring smile she could muster when he looked up at her.

"Emma, I'm worried about my mom." He said suddenly, as she could only open her mouth wide in response.

"What do you mean?" She asked, clearly not the response she had expected to get from him.

"She just… she hasn't been herself." Henry admitted, as though he was mulling over his words.

"Well Graham's funeral was only a few days ago." She pointed out, noting the near blank look from him, before she decided to continue. "He was… important to her." She answered, her voice tight as she tried to be careful with how much information she was giving him.

After all, she didn't want to scar the poor kid.

"It's not just that. She's been really tired and she hasn't made breakfast once this week. I've only had cereal. And we've only been having take-out for supper… I don't think I've even seen her eat anything but her apples." He went on, this time his wide eyes staring up at her expectantly. "And she hasn't taken me to school once this week. I mean Mrs. Nolan has been driving me, but still…"

"Maybe she's just sick."

"I asked her and she said she wasn't."

She knew that Regina had been close to Graham… closer than she particularly liked, but doubted that it would have had that much of an effect on her. However at the same time, she couldn't help but agree with Henry's argument as their mayor hadn't exactly been the same woman that Emma had been first introduced to. It was only on Monday that Regina called her, granting permission to pick Henry up from school for every day of the week, and now as Friday rolled on, Emma hadn't even seen her since the funeral – even when she dropped Henry off each day.

Emma sighed, wondering what she could say to reassure him. For ten years she hadn't been responsible for his upbringing. Hell, for twenty-eight years she hadn't been responsible for anyone's upbringing except for her own and she didn't know what the situation called for. She wasn't good with her emotions or letting her guard down, and she certainly wasn't good when it came to anything with Regina.

"When you lose someone close to you… it's… it's hard Henry." Emma confessed then, before she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Can you just… I don't know…" He stopped himself then, going back to stirring his drink absently.

"…What?" Emma asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Can you check on her?" He asked suddenly, before going on. "She won't even return Mrs. Nolan's phone calls anymore."

"Okay." Emma said finally, unable to say no when he looked at her with those puppy dog eyes.

It wasn't until after he left for the bathroom that she let the groan out from her lips, wondering exactly she was getting herself into.

* * *

"Hello Madam Mayor…" Emma began, switching her weight from her right to her left foot as she stood awkwardly in Regina's front foyer.

Henry at least had the decency to run up to his room, but with him gone Emma felt suddenly unsure in the other woman's presence.

"Miss Swan…?" Regina barked back, a tired expression spread thinly across her lips.

"I… I just wanted to see …how you're doing." Emma admitted, fumbling over the words and mentally kicking herself for it.

"Why?" She asked then, her eyes glancing up from the newspaper clutched tightly between her hands.

It was then that Emma took in the other woman's appearance, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the fairness in her skin and what she was wearing. Or not wearing. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the Mayor of their town was wearing her pyjamas (as Emma could see the flannel pants) and had a robe wrapped tightly around herself. Either Madam Mayor had come home and changed into her pyjamas, or she was still wearing them after a full day spent at home.

"What do you mean why?" Emma replied then, her voice sure as she took a couple steps closer. "You haven't been around. You don't answer the phone if anyone calls... I've dropped Henry off every day after school and this is the first time I've seen you since the funeral. And our – your son… he's worried about you."

"He doesn't need to be worried, and you should just go." She replied softly.

Regina folded her newspaper tightly, placing it on the table before she glanced up at Emma. With a slight roll of her eyes she stood up from her chair, before she felt her legs weak beneath her. She grabbed for the table, clutching it for support, as she felt a new wave of dizziness seep around the edges.

"You just… You look pale. Are you okay, Regina?" Emma asked, her hands reaching out to catch her if needed as she dropped any kind of formality between them.

"I'm fine, Miss Swan." She shot at her between clenched teeth as she straightened her legs. "Why don't you leave and actually go do your job. You're sheriff now, right?" She practically hissed the last part, glancing at the shining badge attached to her hip. "You're wearing that badge like you think you deserve it anyway. So why don't you prove to this town that you can actually do it half as well as Graham."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Emma snapped back, suddenly not caring if she was going to hurt Regina's feelings.

Emma was furious, her cheeks flushed as she clenched her fists at her sides, taking a final step closer. She was sick of being treated like some kind of second class citizen and she was just as affected by Graham's passing, but she had been doing a damn good job trying to fill his boots. And she wasn't about to let the woman tarnish his passing by making a mockery out of her.

Regina laughed then, cold and bitter in the dimly lit room.

"I'm pregnant." The brunette offered, before she sat back down on her dining room chair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** I Said Maybe, Baby, Please [2/5]  
**Author: **jowritesfiction  
**Rating: **PG (for a little bit of swearing)  
**Fandom: **Once Upon a Time  
**Characters: **Regina Mills, Emma Swan, Mary Margaret (eventual Swan Queen)  
**Summary: **_Regina Mills is acting out of character, so her son seeks out help from a very hesitant and slightly awkward Emma Swan.  
_**Notes: **This is an old piece of fic that I have revamped and (finally!) finished. It takes place way back in season 1, just after 1x07, and goes completely AU from there.

* * *

It had been nearly two weeks since she had said the words out loud.

Two weeks since she told Emma Swan that she was pregnant, and a lot in her world had changed since then. Not only was she now congratulated everywhere she went (even the damn grocery store) because apparently Emma couldn't keep her mouth closed, but even Henry had looked at her differently. Although she had first been hesitant to tell her son, as she knew that there was a possibility of a miscarriage, and didn't particularly want to explain her relationship with Graham, she knew that he deserved some kind of honesty from her.

It had been at Emma's insistence, and so Regina sat Henry down on an evening that Emma was making them both dinner and explained the situation. At first Henry had been unsure when he asked who the father was, but after a very G-rated version of her romance with Graham, Henry had beamed. It was when he wrapped his arms around her middle, looking up at her with more love than she was used to that she almost broke down right there and cried.

Emma had seen the tears threating to fall and quickly ushered him up to his room, claiming that he needed to go wash up before eating. Regina only offered a shy smile of appreciation before she slowly gathered her bearings and pushed her tears back as she began to riffle through the fridge for something to drink. One of the downsides of her pregnancy meant she couldn't have her Friday evening glass of wine – a luxury that she suddenly found that she had merely taken for granted before.

"What are you doing?" Regina huffed at Emma who was staring at her, before pouring herself a glass of water and pretending that it was a glass of wine.

"You need to go and see a doctor." Emma reminded her for the umpteenth time that week.

"Just because I'm too tired to fight you about Henry, doesn't mean you get to boss me around, Miss Swan." She replied with little sigh, before she settled onto the island stool with her water glass.

"I know, but I also know that this is your first time being pregnant, right?" Emma asked, pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher.

"Yes, Miss Swan."

"Well then as someone who already birthed a child, I can tell you that I know what I'm talking about." Emma added triumphantly, as she watched Regina's response shift suddenly from defiance to acceptance.

Regina rolled her eyes then, before she started picking at the chicken sandwich that Emma had made her them both for supper. She carefully lifted one half of the sandwich, before taking a small whiff of it. Grimacing, she placed it back on the plate, before settling for another sip of her water and a bite from the pickle next to her sandwich.

"You gave birth to a baby behind bars." She pointed out after a pause.

"Yes, but I also delivered a healthy baby that you raised." Emma added with a sly grin before she took a bite of her own sandwich, while she wondered what was taking Henry so long.

"You may have a point there." Regina admitted, ignoring the smug smile from the blonde woman beside her.

"I do have a point there and so we need to get you to a doctor for a check-up and an ultrasound." She added, placing her pickle onto Regina's plate.

"Alright." Regina said finally, taking the last bite of her pickle, before she grabbed Emma's donated one.

"Alright, but not until you take a bite of your sandwich."

Regina practically snorted at her then, giving her a strong look of distaste as she glanced back down at the offending sandwich.

"Just one bite, Madam Mayor."

"Fine. One bite. If I start puking then you're going to have to hold my hair back." She snapped, with a hint of a smile on the corners of her mouth.

"Deal." Emma agreed before Henry came barreling into the room, and sat himself in the seat between them as he happily began to tell them about his day.

* * *

There was a heartbeat. It was only a tiny flutter, barely heard on the ultrasound, but with Henry's hand tucked into hers, she couldn't help but realize that this was really happening. She could no longer deny the symptoms or the multitude of positive pregnancy tests that had littered her bathroom for an afternoon weeks before. This wasn't a part of her plan, but it was happening.

And at least with Emma helping it was slightly easier to bare.

"Miss Swan." Regina drawled, holding her phone tightly to her ear, as she tapped her nails against the top of her desk.

"Yes. What can I do for you, Madam Mayor?" Emma responded on her phone.

Regina paused, pursing her lips as she wondered what really compelled her to contact Emma of all people. It wasn't as though the two women were close, but it was just the other day that Emma insisted on going to the doctor appointment with Dr. Whale. And it was Emma who sat beside her with her hand resting on Regina's shoulder while the baby's heartbeat echoed in the small room. Emma was in that room and somehow she had become Regina's unlikely support.

"Nevermind." Regina snapped, ready to put down the phone until Emma called out.

"No! Wait. You called me." She exclaimed, sounding confused through the receiver. "I'm just going on my lunch break. What can I do for you?"

She paused, debating if she really wanted to ask for the favor.

"I'm stuck at the office and was wondering if you could pick me up a grilled cheese from Granny's." She muttered all in one, flicking through countless emails.

"Don't you have an assistant for that?" Emma asked with a mild grimace, knowing that she wasn't being the most helpful.

"I do, but I also want an ice cream sandwich and two pickles and I don't need to tell Kim that apparently I'm having pregnancy cravings because it's none of her _business_ and I just thought maybe you would be heading there any way and my office is on your way back to the station and…"

Regina stopped suddenly. She was officially rambling. Well… that was happening.

"Regina. It's fine." Emma said finally, pushing open the door to Granny's. "I also grabbed a jar of peanut butter from the market earlier this morning. You mentioned the other night that you didn't have any in the house."

"Oh." She mumbled, astonished by Emma's actions. "I… Thank you. I keep forgetting to pick up a jar." Regina finally muttered, before exchanging goodbyes. "And I want some kind of battered chicken. Chicken wings… or chicken fingers?" She added, as an afterthought, the craving taking over the majority of her thoughts. "And a diet coke."

"I'll be there in ten."

* * *

"Emma, is that you?" Mary Margaret called out from the kitchen, with her knife clutched tightly in her hand.

"Yes. Sorry Mary Margaret. I didn't mean to scare you." Emma explained as she walked into the main area of their shared apartment.

"It's alright… I think it's just because I haven't seen you a lot lately." She said in an overprotective kind of way, with a small smile on her lips.

Emma groaned then, knowing that she deserved the little dig.

After spending almost every morning over at the Mills house, it would have been hard to explain to anyone, but especially someone so close to her. Therefore she had just snuck around the apartment, leaving early in the morning so she had enough time to make Henry and Regina breakfast (as Regina was far too tired and the morning sickness was so strong she didn't have the nerve to even cook anything) and then arriving long after Mary Margaret had gone to sleep (partially because Mary Margaret had the same sleeping patterns as an 80 year old woman, and because Emma enjoyed tucking Henry into bed as well as making sure that Regina didn't have any other chores before she too went to sleep).

"Yeah. I've been spending time with Henry and helping Regina out." Emma offered, her free hand playing with the hair on the back of her head as she gave a non-committal shrug of her shoulders.

"I think you need to be careful." Mary Margaret said softly, going back to cutting the vegetables for her dinner.

"Mary Mar-"

"No, Emma. I mean it. Regina has done nothing but make your life difficult and you've been there every single morning at the crack of dawn and you don't come home until long after I've gone to sleep most nights." Mary Margaret began, quickly cutting the vegetables as she stressed her words.

"I know what I'm doing…" Emma began, her hands flat on the small island of their kitchen.

"She's using you." She hissed, her voice low as she finally looked up at her friend.

"No, that's enough, Mary Margaret. You of all people… you are one of the sweetest people I've ever met and I can't believe you would judge her so harshly." Emma said, fed up with everyone giving her a hard time. She could understand it from Ruby (who liked to be in everyone's business) or Granny (who just wanted the new girl in town to be careful), but it was another thing completely coming from her closest friend.

"You know, I think maybe you're right. I'm just… I'm upset about David." The dark haired woman admitted then, her face falling into a look of embarrassment.

"Are you two still seeing each other?" Emma asked, before she took a piece of carrot and popped it into her mouth.

"Maybe. Kind of." She said with a squint of her eyes, before she shook her head and sighed. "Here you are being a sweet friend to Regina and I'm having an affair with a married man and telling you what you're doing is wrong…"

"Hey… hey, it's okay." Emma began, her hands in the air as a means of surrender.

"No, no it's not." She sighed back, grabbing a piece of carrot and shoving it into her mouth.

"Then just be honest with him. You can be honest with me, so just try it with him." Emma offered, a cocky grin on her face to be giving the woman any kind of relationship advice.

"Then you be honest with her." Mary Margaret said with an equally smug grin before she turned her back to Emma and grabbed a pot from the bottom cupboard.

* * *

The market was mostly empty, as Henry jumped from one sugary item to the next, wanting to put one of each in the cart. Regina wasn't sure if it was pregnancy-brain clouding her mind or Emma's presence beside her, but either way she was having a hard time saying no. Which lead to a very full cart of the sorts of things that often didn't make it in there.

"Thanks mom!" He exclaimed, his smile bright as he ran up ahead to grab his favourite kind of yogurt.

"You're being pretty lenient today." Emma noted, a hint of a smile, as she trailed along beside Regina.

"It's been a good day." She admitted, examining two bunches of romaine lettuce to find the best one.

"How was it – your day?"

"Good." She said, settling on the bunch on the left. "First day without morning sickness that I can remember and it was mostly simple fixes at work. Even Henry had a good day – he aced a math test we'd been working on for weeks. I think he deserves a little treat. Or well… I think we're up to seven now." Regina said with a genuine laugh, wondering if she ever thought this would be her life.

Emma beamed back at her, that kind of crinkly smile that Regina couldn't help but mirror back, until Emma turned to a bag of baby carrots and plopped them into the cart. Ever since the blonde found ramen noodles and a couple packages of frozen meals in Regina's cupboard and freezer, she had been insistent that she come along for grocery day. Something about needing healthier food for the baby. And getting proper snack foods.

"Pregnancy really agrees with you." Emma said suddenly, as her hand brushed against Regina's when she passed her a carton of eggs.

"What?" Regina questioned, her brows skewed in confusion.

"I just mean… I can see what they mean when they say pregnant women have a glow. You just have a glow about you." Emma stumbled over her words, back-tracking as she tried to figure out how to explain what she meant.

"Can I get two flavours?" Henry interrupted, and Emma sighed in relief.

"Sure. Also go get your mom some string cheese. And cottage cheese." Emma interrupted, taking the yogurt from Henry to put in the cart. She then turned to Regina, "I think you should pick out a couple boxes of crackers you would like and then we're all done here."

"Okay." Regina said softly, her fingers tight on the handle of the cart, as she followed Emma's lead.

* * *

"Why are you even here?" Regina asked after she settled onto the couch after she tucked Henry into bed.

"Regina…" Emma began, using her first name before she even had time to correct herself.

"No, I mean it. You've been so nice during all of this and I just don't understand." She huffed, not quite able to meet her gaze, and instead turning her attention to the black and white movie playing on her television set. "I don't make it easy." She admitted quietly, blaming the hormones for the way her voice came off breathier than she meant.

"I just… it's what Graham would have wanted."

"Graham." She breathed, the name stuck somewhere on her lips.

"I just feel like he would want someone here for you and I can be that person for him and for you." Emma admitted with a sheepish grin on her face.

Regina glanced at her, taking in the flush of her cheeks before she offered her a smile back. It was then that Emma reached into her bag beside her, pulling out a small tattered shoebox and a digital camera. She took the lens off the camera, before standing up and reaching her hand out for Regina to take.

Regina inhaled deeply, a look of confusion on her face as she glanced at the other woman's hand. Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she reached her hands out and let Emma help her to her feet slowly. Regina placed one hand on her hip as she cocked an eyebrow, waiting to see what was up the Sheriff's sleeve.

"Here… take off your shirt." Emma said suddenly, with the camera still in her hand.

"Are you hitting on me and this is your version of dirty talk?" Regina asked with her eyes wide as Emma stared expectantly at her.

"No, Regina… here we can take a picture." Emma said with a wave of her hand and a nervous kind of chuckle.

"Yes, that's still not convincing me." She shot back with a half-smile and a roll of her eyes.

"You'll want a picture… for your baby book." Emma tried to explain.

"Am I starting to show?" Regina asked then, her hands immediately on her flat stomach.

"No." Emma responded immediately, practically cutting her off before she continued. "You just… trust me you'll want this picture."

Regina gave her another concerned look, before she grabbed at the bottom hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. She watched with bated breath as Emma inhaled sharply, the green eyes lingering on her newly exposed skin. With a smug grin, Regina took a moment before she cleared her throat and felt Emma's eyes return back to her face.

"What's this about a baby book?" Regina asked.

"Oh… It's j-just something one of the guards helped me with. She had one when she had her first born… and it was just something good, you know? Something to remember about being pregnant and something to remember when he was… gone. Sorry." Emma said suddenly, her focus back on the camera as she pointed it towards Regina and clicked it a few times to give her options on the picture.

"Don't be." Regina said when the final click was taken from the camera.

Emma slid the camera back into the bag, before she ran her fingers over the tattered shoe box. She turned her attention back to Regina who had slipped her shirt back over her head and was once again settled back onto the end of the couch. Emma sat on the couch, with the box on her lap as she slowly took off the lid.

"Here… I actually have the book if you want to see." Emma offered, her voice closer to a whisper.

"You do?" Regina questioned, her dark eyes wide in curiosity.

Emma pulled the book out of the box, running her fingers over the cool, hard cover before she handed it to the other woman. She watched as Regina opened the first page, her fingers tracing the outlines of Emma's scrawl and old images before she was beginning to show. As she flipped through the pages, Regina stopped suddenly, her eyes tearing up when she saw Emma standing in front of a window with her belly large and a smile on her face.

"Regina… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-" Emma began as soon as she saw the tears falling down her face.

"It's n-not me crying… It's this g-god d-d-damn fu-fucking ba-baby…" Regina spat back, her sobs choking out her words as she fought the urge to yell. "G-god d-d-damn fucking hormones…"

"Oh! Of course… here…" Emma said with a chuckle, as she wrapped her arms around the other woman, gently rubbing her back until her tears subsided.

"Thank you… for this book, for this picture, for everything." Regina said softly when Emma began to pull away from their awkward embrace.

"Can I take it that's the baby talking again?" Emma asked with a teasing lop-sided grin that Henry had practically mastered.

"It might be."

"Well I'll take it either way."


	3. Chapter 3

"My damn feet are killing me." Regina admitted through clenched teeth, as she scanned the row of clothes, trying to find something that wasn't flannel or had text across the stomach.

"Why are you still in heels?" Kathryn asked, grabbing at a pencil skirt with an elastic waist to show her friend.

"Just because I'm having a baby doesn't mean I can't still wear heels." Regina muttered, gently rubbing her temples as she glared at the mostly disastrous maternity clothes.

"Uh yeah, it kind of does, Regina." Kathryn pointed out with a sharp little laugh.

"Nonsense." She replied with a small groan when she saw a pair of hot pink shorts with 'hot mama' written across the behind.

After trying to squeeze herself into a pair of her everyday dress pants the other day, Regina had finally thrown her hands in the air and decided to at least look at some maternity clothes. Although she was barely showing, she had felt bloated and found her clothes to be rather snug within the last few days. Therefore when Kathryn offered to take her out for a Saturday shopping spree she jumped at the chance, eager to be out of her house and talking to an adult other than Emma Swan.

"Excuse me… We're going to need a pair of flats. Something nice, but comfortable." Kathryn told the clerk, before she quickly gave up Regina's shoe size.

"I'm not going to wear flats." Regina deadpanned, one hand comfortably on her hip.

"Yes you are." She replied with a smug grin, before she picked at a couple of silken blouses.

"You're sort of an awful friend." She said, although the smile gave away that she was joking.

"I'm an amazing friend, and I would be more amazing, but I don't want to ruin your happy little family bubble." She pointed out, noting the slight flush in her friend's cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked through clenched teeth, her eyes diverting back to the clothes on the rack in front of her.

"I know you, Regina. And since you've been pregnant you've been different… and no it's not just the hormones." She said suddenly, raising her hand to stop her friend from interjecting. "You're happier. You smile more and you let me boss you around more… and you're happier for all of it. You're happier because Emma Swan is playing family with you."

"You take that back." Regina hissed, her voice low so that the clerk around the corner couldn't hear them.

"Scared of a little truth there, Madam Mayor?"

"Speaking of which, I'd like to appoint you as my Deputy Mayor." Regina said suddenly, glancing up at her friend. "You won't have to do anything different until the last weeks of my pregnancy and then during my maternity leave. Until then I can catch you up on everything and it'll give you something to fuss about… something other than the divorce." She explained with a knowing smile, as she watched Kathryn mull it over in her mind.

The truth was that Regina had struggled with the idea of someone else running her office while she was away. She knew that there weren't a lot of people qualified for the job that she trusted, and also knew that she would want her job back once she got settled into motherhood all over again. After all she had managed quite well even when she had Henry, and figured that she would be able to do it again with her new baby.

Settling on Kathryn had been the logical choice, knowing not only how much her friend cared about the people in town, but that she would have the drive to work hard. Plus, with her impending divorce, Regina knew that Kathryn had begun to take online courses that would help her with the job position. It was an easy choice to pick her best friend, but it was the right one as well.

"Yes. I – okay." She stammered before offering a bright smile. "And don't change the subject. Does she know that you've been dreaming about her?"

"Kathryn Nolan." Regina snapped, desperately wishing that she hadn't told her friend about the very sexual dreams she had been having for the past few weeks. Although she had looked it up and the information had proved that sometimes pregnant people tended to have saucier dreams, she didn't know why they always seemed to feature the same blonde sheriff. Well maybe she did, but she wasn't about to open that can of worms when her emotions were already so close to the surface.

"Just tell her, Regina."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"You and I both know how hard she's been working hard since Graham passed away. She's really stepped it up, and she's even hired Ruby as a deputy to help with the work load." Kathryn explained with a knowing grin, watching as Regina sat on the bench and pulled off her heels. "There hasn't been a burglary, a domestic dispute, or even a cat stuck in a tree that she hasn't known about and stopped less than five minutes later. She's working hard to keep your town safe, Regina. To keep you safe and I just think maybe you should thank her." She added with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Regina rolled her eyes, grimacing at the pair of black flats before she slid them onto her feet. She wasn't exactly a flats kind of person, but with aching feet and almost no sense of balance she knew that Kathryn probably had a point. With a satisfied little sigh, and a frown etched across her lips she stood up, thankful for the comfortable shoes and her eager (and now smug) friend.

* * *

It had been a long day at the office and an even longer evening trying to get Henry to take his schooling seriously. Between incompetent coworkers that didn't understand the meaning of the word "deadline" and a son that would rather tuck a comic book into a textbook than actually read it, Regina was done for the day. And up to her ears in stress. Which is why when Kathryn offered to make dinner for Regina and Henry, the dark haired woman quickly accepted.

The dinner was quieter than Regina was now used to - as it was the first one sans Emma since that night weeks ago. Henry happily munched away before heading to his room and then Kathryn and Regina tidied up. With the dishes washed and dried, they retired to her study for a drink (wine for Kathryn and water for Regina). It was somewhere between Regina switching positions on the couch and uncomfortably rolling her shoulders that Kathryn offered to rub the stiffness out of them for her.

And that was what Emma found when she wandered into Regina's study with two grilled cheese sandwiches in a takeout bag. She plopped herself into the chair across from them, offering a greeting to the other women, before pulling a sandwich out of the bag and beginning to eat it. The other was meant for Regina, but with the lingering scent of chicken and peppers, Emma figured that they could save the second sandwich for later.

"Hello Emma." Kathryn greeted, watching the blonde woman wolf down her sandwich, as she continued to work out the knots in Regina's shoulders.

Regina simply closed her eyes, the stiffness in her shoulders slowly being worked out as the other two women made small talk of the fire down by the Toll Bridge. And then a clock chimed from her hallway, and Kathryn was making excuses to leave – something about drinks with a gym teacher. So Kathryn said goodbye, and Regina was waving with a soft smile until she grimaced as she felt something twist in her back.

"I can help with that." Emma said suddenly, wiping her hands on her jeans, before settling herself beside Regina on the couch.

"I – okay." Regina replied, inhaling sharply when soft hands began to press on her back. Her eyes fluttered closed, nearly purring when she felt Emma reach under her loose shirt to rub her back a bit more firmly. It was delicious, this sort of constant pressure, working out the strain of stress and her little bump. "You have amazing hands. Magic hands." Regina murmured, before biting her lower lip to stifle any other sudden compliment.

Emma merely laughed, "You have no idea." She stated, before she pressed against a stubborn knot that had Regina groaning through pursed lips.

* * *

With her feet resting on one edge of the couch and her head on the other, Regina closed her eyes for a moment, waiting for Henry to slide in under her feet. It was their weekend evening ritual lately, popcorn and movies starring superheroes and/or talking animals. And she wanted a moment of zen before Henry and Emma bounded into the room with popcorn and debating superpowers. Therefore with her hands resting on her belly that was hidden in her loosest tee shirt and pajama pants with the elastic waist (because she was begging to show and could no longer pretend), Regina hummed to herself.

It was something she remembered humming to Henry when he was fussy as a baby and suddenly there was a fluttering beneath her fingertips. With a jolt she called out for Henry in the other room, and gently rubbed where her little one was moving around inside of her. "Henry. Your little brother or sister is dancing inside of me." She exclaimed when he ran in with a bewildered expression.

Then it dawned on him and his face twisted into a bright smile. "Can I feel?" He asked, taking a step forward but waiting for her go ahead. With her nod he quickly pressed his hand against her little bump, chatting happily with the fluttering movement, while Regina beamed. There was something so happy and domestic having her son talking to his little sibling while she felt the first flutter of life inside of her.

"You're going to grow up big and strong and I'm going to protect you because I'm your big brother… and I'm going to show you all the good comics and how to ride a bike and Emma will teach you how to climb a tree and Mom will tell you not to. It's gonna be fun." Henry babbled.

The moment Henry found out his mother was pregnant he quickly googled all things baby. After skimming through the disgusting parts (ewwww a baby comes out of _where?!_), he found many people saying that you could talk to the baby and get them used to your voice. And so he liked to talk to the baby or "the bump" as he affectionately called his little brother or sister.

"Is the baby moving?" Emma asked from the doorway, popcorn in hand as she made her way to them.

"Yeah. The bump is moving! Emma come feel!" Henry exclaimed, before grabbing Emma's wrist and putting her hand on Regina's stomach.

Regina inhaled sharply, her eyes meeting brilliant blue, as she felt Emma's hands press against her stomach. There may have been a layer of fabric in the form of Regina's top between their skin, but Regina could feel the heat radiating from Emma's palm. The fluttering seemed to double, but Regina wasn't sure if it was all the baby when she quickly cleared her throat and averted her eyes back to Henry's eager (and oblivious) face.

* * *

"You stayed over…?" Regina hissed into the darkness of her living room, taking in the bright green eyes and mop of blonde hair staring at her from over the back of the couch.

"I just… I fell asleep on the couch. I can leave if you want me to-" Emma began, running her fingers through her hair as she began to sit up.

"No, it's fine." She said offhand, shaking her head at the other woman.

"Are you okay? Why are you up?" Emma asked suddenly, her eyes wide in alarm as she stood up and stalked over to Regina.

"I was hungry." Regina said simply, the words slipping her lips as she turned on her heels and made her way to the kitchen.

"You were hungry at… four in the morning?" Emma asked with a chuckle, taking in the dishevelled form of the mayor in her nightgown and short black robe.

"You're not allowed to laugh at me." Regina practically pouted, her arms crossed against her chest as she eyed the bowl of fruit on the counter.

"Fine. You're right. I'm sorry." Emma replied suddenly, stepping into the kitchen, and grabbing the door of the fridge. "Here… let me make you something. How about a turkey sandwich?" She asked, turning her head to the side for a second, before back into the bright fridge.

Regina held her breath, now able to see Emma from the light of the fridge and noticing for the first time what she was wearing. Her mouth suddenly went dry as she took in the long, slender legs, and the fact that all she had on was a thin black tank top and a pair of dark boyshorts. With the urge to pinch herself from the dream, she quickly squeezed a bit of her flesh on her arm, before a quick cry of pain escaped her lips.

"What was that?" Emma asked, sticking her head from out of the fridge long enough to see Regina's eyes flick from her legs back up to her face suddenly.

"Umm… n-no mustard." She stammered, a flush to her cheeks when Emma gave her that lopsided smile.

"Okay…" Emma said, pulling out the ingredients and placing them on the island.

"Is it all for him?" Regina asked suddenly, the words out of her lips before she could take them back.

"What do you mean?" She asked, glancing up in time to see that Regina was standing right beside her.

"I mean you taking care of us." She began, her one hand tucked into her dark hair. "You taking care of Henry and this baby and me… Is it just because Graham isn't here?" She asked, trying not to be so damn emotional, but almost coming up short as she placed one hand on the island and the other down at her side.

"No." Emma said softly.

Regina inhaled deeply, before she took another short step between them. With a hesitant smile, she could feel Emma's warm breath against her cheek, and see the way her chest rose and fell with each laboured breath. This was it, the now or never moment. With her eyes fluttered closed, she slid her free hand to tangle in blonde hair as she pressed her lips against the nape of the other woman's neck in a hot, open kiss. She slid her lips against the other woman's skin then, as she felt strong hands on her hips bringing her impossibly closer.

Slipping her bare legs between Emma's, she bent her knee at an angle, rubbing gently between her legs, before she felt Emma move them. With Regina's back pressed against the island, Emma held the brunette by her hips, fingers teasing gently against the smooth fabric of the black robe. Regina hummed her appreciation against Emma's neck, enjoying the breathy sigh that came from Emma's lips when Regina slid her tongue against the salty sweet skin.

Regina brought herself down onto Emma's toned thigh, grinding against her skin, creating a pleasant friction between her legs. Feeling vaguely embarrassed to be literally humping the other woman's leg, she almost pulled away until she felt Emma's fingers digging into her hips, and guiding her into a faster rhythm. Her body responded immediately, obeying those hands, as her lips sucked against the other woman's neck, breaking only to pant out short breaths.

It was delicious to hear Emma's small moans of encouragement as she felt her orgasm approaching fast and sudden. Emma raised one hand from her hip, and settled on Regina's ever expanding chest, playing with a taut nipple. Gasping, Regina increased her speed, feeling the pleasant sticky sensation against Emma's leg and the steady friction against her clit. Then with one hand tangled in blonde hair and the other holding onto the woman's back for support, she came quick and fiercely, shaking against the woman's warm thigh.

With her head pressed against Emma's neck, she slowly pulled away, a Cheshire grin across her lips. On shaking legs, she pressed her hands on the other woman's hips, before sliding her right hand to the front of Emma's boyshorts, finding the material slightly damp. It was then that Emma shook her head, pulling Regina's hand away from her.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed." Emma said softly, trying carefully not to hurt Regina's feelings.

"I… Umm… yes." Regina managed, pulling herself away from the blonde, and turning on her heel to head back to her bedroom, mortified, as hot tears slipped down her cheeks.

* * *

Regina glanced down at her hand then, a smile across her lips as her eager son thread his fingers between hers in a vice grip. With her stomach on display, the small bump now officially beginning to show, she lifted her head from the hospital pillow to glance up at the screen of her ultrasound. It was the first time that they were going to be able to find out the gender of the baby, and had been the only thing that Henry would talk about for a week.

Although Regina was anxious to find out if she was having a boy or girl, she hadn't exactly been able to talk to Emma about it. After her late night stint the previous week she hadn't been able to even make eye contact let alone have a conversation with her. And so they spent their mornings in silence while Henry ate and talked about his dreams or what he wanted to do during the day, and then their dinners were filled with small talk and a large focus on their shared son.

"Well… Dr. Whale…" Henry said expectantly, squeezing Regina's hand a little tighter.

"Did you want to know the sex?" He asked Regina with a knowing little grin.

"Yes. We do." She replied, her eyes on Henry as his face lit up, before chancing a glance at Emma whose expression was hard to read, but there was still a smile there too when Henry used the hand not attached to Regina's to grab his other's mother. Emma used her free hand to ruffle his hair, before nodding to the doctor, as he tried his best not to judge why Emma Swan was accompanying Regina to all of her doctor appointments.

"You're having a boy." He told her, showing them her baby on the monitor.

"We're having a boy." She exclaimed, using the pronoun faster than she was able to take it back as she looked at both Henry and Emma's smiling faces. In that moment, with Henry's hot little hand in hers and Emma still ruffling his hair, she decided she didn't want to take it back. They were having a boy – all three of them.


End file.
